DeKalb residents have an opportunity to take advantage of several support groups over the next two months.

The groups cover a wide area of topics, including divorce, serious medical trauma and parent education.

At Community Coordinated Child Care, 155 N. Third St., a six-week course on parent education is offered.

“We teach parent education to people all over DeKalb County. We even have a parent educator who teaches only Spanish-speaking classes,” said Marcie Jividen, parent educator at 4-C.

Classes are given one night a week over a six-week period and cover one topic each meeting.

“The parent education program is offered in a relaxed support environment,” Jividen said. “It is designed to enhance family communication and relations while building the parenting strength of each participant.”

Child growth and development, communication, self-esteem, stress and anger management, child guidance and discipline and a family life session are all included in the free program.

Jividen said the current sessions are full, but another six-week program will be available toward the end of February and the beginning of March.

Another program at 4-C is the child care assistance program.

Although it is not a support group, Sue Goudy, director of the program, said it is something DeKalb residents and the NIU community should know about.

“It’s a program that runs through the department of human services for parents working and/or going to school,” Goudy said.

Qualified participants receive discounts on child care, Goudy said. To find out how to qualify, call 225-758-8149.

The Family Service Agency’s center for counseling, 14 Health Services Drive, is another place to turn to for support in DeKalb.

“We have 15 counselors and we’re just about a full service mental issues facility,” said Chris Gough, director of the center for counseling.

The center has professionals that specialize in specific areas, and there are no waiting lists, which makes it easy for people to get the help they need quickly, Gough said.

“We try to be the kind of place for any type of person,” Gough said. “We have a very professional and culturally diverse staff.”

A divorce support group and a group for people who have suffered a serious medical trauma or illness both begin Feb. 1. Those interested should call the Family Service Agency at 758-8636 to sign up or to learn about other programs.